Excursions On Shore In The Nile Valley

Would you like a tour that combines visiting temples and graves in ancient Upper Egypt with an exploration of how people live today? Experience both in this excursion to Dendera and Garagos:

By car or minibus:

9.00 to 9.30 am: We collect you from your hotel and depart from Luxor Tour of the Dendera Temple ComplexLunch in Qena Visit to the Jesuit Compound in Garagos with pottery, kindergarten, school and chapel Visit to weavers in Nakada

Dendera Temple Complex

Dedicated to the goddess Hathor, the complex is one of the best-preserved temple complexes and among the most significant in all of Egypt, approx. 65 km north of Luxor.

Lunch in Qena, in a typical Upper Egyptian restaurant serving the customary delicious appetizers. Kofta is a particularly tasty main course.
We go on to Garagos, 25 km north of Luxor in the heartland of Upper Egypt.

Pottery in Garagos

Here you can find out about the artisan crafts in Upper Egypt. Beautiful ceramics are created from the fine clay of the Aswan region. Today Garagos is still a popular destination for tourists who are fascinated by this outstanding example of sustainable development. The owner, Mr Abdou, gives us a tour through the pottery and its processes from raw material to moldable substance, and creates a piece of pottery on the wheel. Ceramics produced here are shipped throughout the world.

“Architect of the poor” Hassan Fathy built numerous buildings in Garagos from clay bricks, the traditional building material.

A model of sustainability

A Jesuit priest came to Garagos around 150 years ago and founded a chapel, school and hospital. These institutions are still in operation today. Pottery was likely to have been common in those times, given that Aswan is a source of top-class clay; however, the priest invited a French potter to Garagos to teach the art of pottery. The pottery is still there today and has profoundly changed the lives of people in Garagos.

Jesuit Compound with Kindergarten, School, Chapel

The next point on the tour is a visit to the Jesuit Compound with kindergarten, school and chapel. Sister Mariam is our guide. The sisters here do very important work; their kindergarten is non-denominational, a place where little Christians and little Muslims, boys and girls together, play and learn as a group. On request we accompany you on a walk through the village.

Weaving in Nakada

We continue to Nakada to a weaving mill, where women work at four looms. The mill is owned by an inhabitant of Nakada, who provides the women with the looms and material free of charge. He pays the women for their work, and the profits from the sale of the fine fabrics they produce pay the running costs of the mill and go towards purchasing raw materials. The beautiful soft scarves and shawls woven from fine mako cotton are an inviting shopping opportunity for visitors of Upper Egypt.